Thread: Utah legislator unveils controversial immigration bill

Utah legislator unveils controversial immigration bill

Ben Winslow, Reporter FOX 13 News
2:20 PM MDT, August 13, 2010

Related links
News Conference: Utah Immigration Bill Video
PDF: Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act

SALT LAKE CITY - Under angry shouts and protests, Rep. Stephen Sandstrom unveiled his controversial illegal immigration bill. The Orem Republican stood alone at a podium in the Capitol rotunda as he tried to explain his bill.

"This is a tough, hard-hitting bill and in some ways, it goes further than the Arizona immigration law," Sandstrom said.

The bill, still in its draft form, requires police to investigate someone's immigration status as a secondary offense. It requires police to verify the immigration status of anyone detained on "reasonable suspicion the person is an illegal alien." However, Sandstrom later told Fox 13 he has included a loophole for officers to ignore immigration status if it would hinder an ongoing criminal investigation.

He called his bill an "improved version of Arizona's SB 1070." The bill also requires state agencies to verify immigration status before providing benefits and allows legal residents to sue if agencies refuse to enforce it, with penalties attached.

"This is not about race," Sandstrom declared to a chorus of boos from protesters.

Sandstrom's bill would also create funding for a multi-agency strike force to combat violent and other major felony crimes associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking, and fund prosecution of identity theft crimes.

Latino groups called the bill "Arizona lite" and "cruel."

"This 'Arizona lite' solution, as he says, is the policy of the stick and the carrot," said Jose Gutierrez of the Utah-Hispanic Coalition. "As in the old times of slavery or as in the treatment of animals to domesticate them, but now to apply them to civilized human beings in Utah by the fact of being immigrants."

In a statement, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert suggested teh bill was created by the absence of the federal government in enacting immigration reform. Sandstrom echoed those comments.

"The bill released today by Rep. Sandstrom is a good starting point to further public discussion on the issue of illegal immigration reform in Utah," the governor said. "I look forward to other proposals that I expect to come forward leding up to the 2011 legislative session."

Sandstrom said in an interview with Fox 13 that he was willing to compromise on some parts of his bill. Others, like the police action on immigration status, he would not compromise on. Sandstrom also said he was supportive of a guest worker program in Utah.

Protesters said that Sandstrom's bill is racist, specifically targeting the Latino community. When a white man asked him if what kind of documents he'd need to show if he were stopped, Sandstrom said: "You? None." As he tried to explain why, he was overwhelmed with boos and shouts that he was a racist. Sandstrom insists his bill does not specify race or gender, but does require police to keep statistics as a safeguard to monitor against racial profiling.

Sandstrom acknowledged that his bill will likely face a costly legal challenge. But he said unlike Arizona's bill, which had key provisions struck down by a federal judge, any appeals in Utah would be handled by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. That court, based in Denver, is "friendlier" to immigration issues, he said.

Stay with FOX 13 News and fox13now.com for the latest developments on this story.

http://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu ... 8733.story

Full copy @

http://media.trb.com/media/acrobat/2010-08/55536633.pdf

189 comments so far at the source link.
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Utah immigration bill release sparks strong responses
August 13th, 2010 @ 10:02pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah lawmaker unveiled his anti-illegal immigration bill to a crowd of hecklers at the State Capitol Friday.

Those in the crowd made it clear they are against the bill, calling it divisive.

"We see this as a way to divide and break up our communities," said Gregory Lucero, with the Revolutionary Students Union.

But Rep. Stephen Sandstrom is not fazed. His bill, patterned after Arizona's controversial law, is moving forward.

Democratic lawmakers respond to Sandstrom's bill

Sandstrom's proposal sparked strong responses from critics and raised questions from Democratic lawmakers, who say the bill is too narrow and that a possible solution to the immigration issue needs to be more comprehensive.

Senate Minority Leader Patricia Jones said, "I know there is great passion on both sides of this issue, and I think we need to look at it, the whole parts of it -- not just one single part, but the impact on families, the impact on businesses, the impact on religious communities and on all of us."

House Minority Leader David Litvack said he applauds Sandstrom's effort to make the bill transparent, but he has questions -- like the cost of the bill to local law enforcement, among other things.

"I have a lot of concern about the health and safety welfare of the immigrant community," Litvack said. "That's the problem with just having an enforcement solution."

Bill is not a federal fix, could make matters worse

Political analysts say states are forced to come up with their own solutions to illegal immigration, a problem that is more than states can handle.

"Some of these issues require a federal fix, ultimately, and the state solutions may make things worse before they make them better." -Kirk Jowers, Hinckley Institute of Politics. "Some of these issues require a federal fix, ultimately, and the state solutions may make things worse before they make them better," said Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

House and Senate Democrats also say Sandstrom's bill is an approach to immigration reform that may just make the issue worse.

"I'm disappointed that this focuses only on the enforcement aspect of this immigration issue, and I don't think this is going to solve anything," Litvack said.

Analysts say many other states are watching to see how Utah handles immigration reform.

Sandstrom's bill the first of many

According to Jones, there will be other bills following -- from both sides of the aisle. She said Sandstrom's bill is just the first step in addressing a very complex issue.

"I know that there are other bills that are protected right now," Jones said. "[The fact that] this one was protected until right now tells me there will be a lot of discussion, a lot of input."

"I'm sure we'll see one from the Democrats, and hopefully we'll see another competing bill from Republicans that takes a different approach," Jowers said.

Because Sandstrom released his bill first, it's getting a lot of attention -- which may not be a bad thing.

"The advantage for Sandstrom is now he has one of the first major bills out, and so discussion will have to be revolved around his approach to immigration," Jowers said.

Sources tell KSL News other legislators are keeping their bills closely guarded. No word yet on who will make the next version public.

Governor issues statement on immigration bill

Meanwhile, Gov. Gary Herbert issued a statement Friday regarding Sandstrom's legislation release, saying the bill is "a good starting point to further public discussion."

The statement reads, in part: "In Utah, we will have strong and meaningful illegal immigration reform -- a ‘Utah solution' that focuses on security, public safety and protecting taxpayer interests, while also recognizing the very real human side of this issue. Absent any meaningful leadership from the federal government on this issue, individual states are being forced to take up the charge."

Along with the statement, Herbert released what he calls guiding principles for immigration reform.

"I have outlined six guiding principles that should be inherent in Utah's efforts. Simply, these are: respect for the law; the federal government must take responsibility; private sector accountability; respect for the humanity of all people; efforts must be fair, colorblind and race-neutral; law enforcement must have appropriate tools; and relieve the burden on taxpayers."

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=11987242

In my opinion our greatest hope lies in individual state governments challenging the feds. The CFR hasn't totally corrupted those politicians...YET.

Well in some states they have. NY being one.

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom unveiled his controversial illegal immigration bill. The Orem Republican stood alone at a podium in the Capitol rotunda as he tried to explain his bill.

He stood alone. Now there is a brave strong individual....impressive.

Originally Posted by jean

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom unveiled his controversial illegal immigration bill. The Orem Republican stood alone at a podium in the Capitol rotunda as he tried to explain his bill.

He stood alone. Now there is a brave strong individual....impressive.

I couldn't agree more!! Does anyone have a email address for him so I can send him a very heartfelt THANK YOU?

Originally Posted by OneNationUnderGod

Originally Posted by jean

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom unveiled his controversial illegal immigration bill. The Orem Republican stood alone at a podium in the Capitol rotunda as he tried to explain his bill.

He stood alone. Now there is a brave strong individual....impressive.

I couldn't agree more!! Does anyone have a email address for him so I can send him a very heartfelt THANK YOU?

ssandstrom@utah.gov

Thank you so much Johndoe2.. I will begin my email now and I ask everyone to do the same.

Latinos need to stop saying its racism. Its all about resources that Americans no longer have due to illegals.